Today I filmed the fencing club, I had spoken to them the
week previously and so they were accommodating. This kind of organizing
requires that I constantly have to think ahead, a skill that I'm acquiring. This work process is full of
important little moments and setting up access to clubs by gaining permission is a short
conversation that smooths the way immeasurably. I filmed this club on and off
for over an hour as they naturally fitted in with the motifs that I am
collecting for the documentary. They had a lot of coordinated group movements
that will hopefully look good on film but in the editing room is where it will tell. I was reticent to interrupt training or
direct people but that I am even thinking about doing this is perhaps based on
the fear that I will not collect the footage that I want to fit with the
treatment I have in mind. Where this line between direction and observation
lies will hopefully be determined by the best content. If the content is there
I will observe and try to capture it, but if it is not I may need to construct
activities or movements much like perhaps asking questions of the documentary
subjects or having reconstructions in the film.
Thursday 31st January
Today was a day for bad decisions and dead ends. I tried
without success to remove the footage from the camera onto an external memory
card, I had intended to borrow the laptop but when I got delayed in picking it
up the new restrictions on loaning the camera came into play and affected my
decisions. Knowing that I would have to hand the laptop back whenever the last
person leaves the office I decided to try and gain access to the editing suite
at the societies box. The students working behind the desk met this with
disapproval but upon inquiry to the societies officer by email I was told it
was absolutely fine to go ahead and use the suite. The suite is rarely in use
and this at least gives me another option is I need to do some editing out of
office hours. As it stands though I would rather use the schools laptop as it
is quicker, so I will play it by ear each time I need a computer. My original
intention in seeking out a computer was to put some of the rushes online for
Aimee to look at and tick that off my list of things to do but also have a look
at the film I have captured thus far on a larger screen. I am also itching to
throw away much of the footage and narrow down what decent footage I have in
order to get and idea for what I need to get and where this film is headed.
Unfortunately much of the boxes I intended to tick today have carried over to
tomorrows list. Today was a lesson in needing to focus on what I can do and
accept the things I cannot change.
Friday 1st February
Early start today, I had been told that the only time that
the pool is empty (I had wanted to film it empty for the start of the film) is
Friday morning before the public comes in at 7am. I arrived at the gym at
6:40am and nearly missed my opportunity to gain access as the gym supervisor
was early and had gone in before I got to the door, luckily another instructor
came along and allowed me access. Once in I had very little time to set up and
get the shots I wanted, I had to pan across the pool several times as the
tripod isn’t very heavy and kept on jumping. I might anyway just use part of a
pan. I intend to do the same thing (pan across the pool) when it is in full
swing. I had to return the camera after this so I went to the Huston between 9 and
10 am but no-one was there in the office (& it was locked). I went again
from 12 to 1 but the same thing, luckily at 4 pm (last chance saloon) Sean was
there and it allowed me to quickly leave in the camera. I had emailed Paddy who
looks after the Production MA equipment as (per Connies instructions) about
gaining access to some of the production equipment (mainly a good microphone).
He hadn’t gotten back to me in a couple of days so I texted him to see if he
got it and he rang me straight back. During the course of the conversation we
worked it out that if he is not busy and around anyway he will be able to
assist me in taking out equipment, I had to walk on eggshells for a bit and
bite my tongue for the good of the films I am making (“to be honest, I’m not
being paid to look after you”) it will be worth it in the end it will be worth
it in the end it will be worth it in the end.
Monday the 4th February.
Today I met Mick to borrow some of the production equipment at 10am with no hitch. I borrowed a tripod and a sound kit which included
everything I could need for capturing audio. I began the days filming by
interviewing the members of the archery club whose training I filmed last week.
While filming something was flashing, when finished interviewing I had a closer
look and realized that the SD card was/is full. I spent a good amount of time
trying to delete the footage from the camera while still in the hall, I also
brought the Sd card out to the laptop in the car but to no avail as I do not
have an SD slot as I thought I might. This has become an extended learning
experience for me as it seems that everything that could go wrong is going to.
Once I realized that I could do no more interviewing I spent the rest of my
time at the gym talking to other clubs to set up shoots. Most all of the clubs
are ok with being filmed and a bit of notice helps immeasurably.
Tuesday the 5th February.
Today was another evening shift for the production, all the
clubs train in the evening so I am becoming a regular at the university gym. I
had arranged to film the karate club and was lucky in that as soon as I set up
the camera the instructor started having the class do group routines together,
which was very photogenic. I managed to grab someone for an interview and got a
few answers out of him, nothing incredibly interesting. I think I need to think
about the framing of questions, I am trying to get participants to talk about
the motivations for participating in sports clubs but it usually results in a
short response. I hadn’t anything else set up for a Tuesday night and so after
I finished with the Karate club I called it a night.
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